Disk harrow



June 10, 1941.

c. H. WHITE 2,245,374

DI SK HARROW Original Filed March 25, 1939 62 :e @s e 63 55 a@ 566?G4268 6o Il l? INVENTOR. CHARLES H. WHITE.

iwi/M ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1941 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISKHARROW charles H. white, Moline, ni., minor m Deere a Company, Moline,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 25, 1939, Serial No.264,058

Renewed 13. 1940 39 Claims.

tively wide span, and nds its principal application in harrows ofthetype having two oppositely extending gangs, each of which is constructedof three gang sections.

Another object of the present invention, thereg fore, is to provide aharrow gang having a plurality of sections and at least one of which ismovably bodily up and down relative to the others.

A further object is to provide a sectionalized harrow gang of the typedescribed above, in which one of the end sections is pivotally connectedto the gang frame and can be folded upwardly and over upon the othersections for the purpose of increasing the load thereon or fordecreasing the overallwidth of the implement.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide improvedmeans for connecting the vertically movable section to the gang frame sothat the thrust of the disks tends to keep that section level with andparallel to the fixed sections, thereby insuring a uniform depth ofpenetration for the disks of each section when operating on levelground. This tendency is not sufflcient, however, to interfere with theup and down movement of the movable section as it follows the contour ofrolling or irregular ground, but merely acts to bring the movablesection ba'ck level with the other sections if it is momentarilydeflected up or down.

'I'hese and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent to thosey skilled in the art after a consideration ofthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment there'of,reference beinghad to the appended drawing, in which Figure 1 is afragmentary plan view of one gang of a disk harrow of the tractorpropelled type embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a frontl elevation thereof; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 inFigure 1, showing in solid lines the positions of the various partswhenthe center section is raised above the level of the outersections,and in dotted lines, the positions of the parts when the center sectionis below the outer sections.

This invention lembodies improvements over the type of harrow disclosedin Patent No. 1,941,504 granted to me on January 2, 1934, and referencemay be had to said patent for certain typical details of construction,although the principles of this invention can be applied to other typesof harrows, as well.

As suggests in said patent, the disk harrow of y the present inventioncomprises a' pair of right and left hand gangs disposed-l substantiallyabreast of each other and pivotally connected together at their innerends. The two gangs are substantially duplicates, with the exceptionthat the disks thereof face in opposite directions, and hence adescription of one gang, in which the principles of the presentinvention have been incorporated, will be sufficient.

Referring now to the drawing, the harrow gang comprises a main or innersection Il, a center section I8, and an outer section I9. Each mainsection Il comprises a frame built up of two generally parallel anglebars II, cross connected by transverse frame bars I2. Disks III aremounted on shafts 8 journaled in bearings I3 that are connected with andsupported under said frame on standards I4.

The parallel frame members II of the inner or main section I1 divergeoutwardly beyond the disk assembly of the section and then continueparallel, as at 55, being widened sufficiently to receive between themthe frame of the center section I8.

The outer section I9 is similar in construction to the inner section I1,having a frame made up of parallel angle iron members II cross connectedby transverse frame bars I2', and a disk section composed of disks I0supported on a gang shaft 8' which is journaled in Abearings I3 wardlyfrom the inner frame extensions 55. The

outer section is thus adapted to swing upwardly relative to the innersection Il about the longitudinal axis of the pivot bolts 56, 56, but islimited in its downward swinging bythe extensions 55 upon which theframe members II rest when the outer section is in its lowered positionsubstantially parallel to and in line with the inner section. Hooks BIJare pivoted on each of the frame members II adjacent the ends of theextensions 55 and are adapted to engage the under sides of theextensions to hold the outer sections against upward swinging about thepivots 56, 5E when it is desi-red to lock the inner and outer sectionsrigidly together. Thus, when the hooks 6i) are latched under theextensions 55, the outer section I9 is, in effect, a rigid continuationof the inner section I1, with an open space between the ends ol the disksections in which the center section I8 is disposed.

The center section I8 comprises a frame made up of parallel angle ironsII cross connected by transverse bars I2, and having a disk section madeup of disks I0" supported on a gang shaft 8" which is journaled inbearings I3 connected with and supported under the frame by standardsI4. The center section I8 is connected to the main or inner' section I'Ifor relative `vertical movement by means of two pairs of bell cranks 6Iand 62 disposed between the frame extensions 55 and pivotally connectedthereto by transverse pivots 63, 64, respectively. The pivots 63, B4 arepreferably stub shafts or pins xed to their respective bell cranks andjournaled in bearing brackets 68 secured to the under sides of the framemembers 55. The horizontally extending arms of the bell cranks 6I, 62are rigidly cross connected by rods 65, 61 which are journaled inbearing brackets 69 fixed to the frame members I I near opposite endsthereof, and the upwardly extending arms of the bell cranks 6I` areconnected with the upwardly extending arms of their corresponding bellcranks 62 by links 66. Since the bell cranks 6I, 62 are identical insize and shape and are arranged in pairs on transversely aligned pivots,it will be seen that the bell cranks and links form, in eifect, a systemof parallel linkage that acts to hold the gang shaft 8" parallel withthe gang shafts 8 and 8 regardless of the vertical position of thecenter section I8 relativeto the end sections II and I9.

Draft is applied to the disk harrow by means that includes two outwardlyextending lateral draft members, one of which is shown at 'I0 in Figures1 and 2. The member 'I0 is pivotally connected, as at 1I, to a draftbracket 'I2 which is fixed to the forward angle bar II at a point at orclosely adjacent to the pivot 56 by which the outer section I9 ispivotally connected with the inner section I'I. From Figures 1 and 2 itwill also be noted that the point Where the draft member 'I0 isconnected is approximately midway the pivots 63 and 64 which connect thecenter disk section I8 with the other sections.

By virtue of this construction, the draft transthree pivotallyinter-connected sections in the most nearly direct manner possible,namely, closely adjacent the points of pivotal connection.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be noticed that the points 65 and B'Iof the bell cranks follow arcuate paths about the pivots 63, 64 when thecenter section rises or falls relative to the end section. When thecenter section I8 is in the normal level position shown in Figure 2, thelaterally extending arms of the bell cranks 6I, G2 are exactlyhorizontal, and in consequence thereof, all points on .arcs drawn aboutthe pivots 63, 64 must lie to the right of the normal level positions ofthe points 65, 61. That is to say, when the center section I8 rises tothe position shown in solid lines in Figure 3, the points 55 and 6lswing upwardly and to the right, following their respective arcuatepaths, and the scction frame and disks are accordingly moved to theright the same distance. The thrust of the disks i0" is to the left,however, and since the center section I8 can now be moved to the leftthe distance it was displaced, such thrust acts to swing the points 65,6l down to their normal level positions. In like manner, when thesection falls to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, it isdisplaced to the right relative to its normal level position, and thethrust of the disk acts to return the section to its normal alignedposition.

In normal operation the outer section I9 is rigidly secured to the mainor inner section I1, and the center section IB is allowed to move bodilyup or down relative to sections I'I and I9. 4

` the outer'section I9 may be swung upwardly about the pivots 56 afterdisengaging the hooks 60 from the ends of the extensions 55, and foldedback Aover the inner and center sections.

What I claim as my invention is:

1; A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a main disk section, asecond disk section, and means connecting said sections togetherproviding for vertical movement of said second sec tion relative to saidmain section, but maintaining the two sections substantially parallel inall positions.

2. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a main disk section, asecond disk section, and parallel link means connecting said second section to said main section for vertical movement relative thereto, saidparallel link means being operative to hold said second section parallelto said main section irrespective of their relative vertical positions.

3. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a pair of disk sections,means for supporting said sections substantially in alignment with oneanother and with their adjacent ends spaced apart, a third disk sectiondisposed between said first mentioned sections, and means supportingsaid third section providing for vertical movement of the latterrelative to said first mentioned sections.

4. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a pair of disk sections,means for supporting said sections substantially in alignment with oneanother and with their adjacent ends spaced apart, a third disk sectiondisposed between said rst mentioned sections, and means connecting saidthird section to. said supporting means providing for vertical movementrelative to said rst mentioned sections. Y

5. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a main disk section and anouter disk section disposed substantially in alignment with one anotherand spaced apart, means pivotally connecting said sections together forvertical swinging movement whereby said outer section can be swung outof operative' position upwardly and folded over upon said main section,means for locking said outer section rigidly to said main section, athird disk section disposed between .said main and outer sections, andmeans connecting said third section to said main section providing forvertical movement relative thereto.

6. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a frame, a main section andan outer section supported on said frame substantially in alignment withone another and with ltheir adjacent ends spaced apart, a third disksection disposed between said main and outer sections, a pair of bellcranksdisposed at one end of said third section on opposite sidesthereof and a second pair of bell cranks disposed at thel other end ofthe section on opposite sides thereof, said bell cranks being pivoted onsaid frame and connected with said third section, and link meansconnecting each of the bell cranks at one end of the section with thecorresponding bell crankv at the other end of the section whereby saidthird section can be moved vertically with respect to said main andouter sections in parallel relation therewith.

7. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a pairof outer disk sections, means connecting said sections to saidsupporting frame substantially in alignment with one another and with.their adjacent ends spaced apart, a third disk section disposed betweensaid outer sections and substantially in alignment therewith, and meansconnecting said third section to said supporting frame whereby saidthird section is movable bodily up or down relative to the outersections, said vconnecting means being responsive to the ,thrust of thedisks for resisting vertical displacement of the third section relativeto the outer sections.

8. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a main disk section, amiddle disk section, and an outer disk section, said outer sectionhaving a normal operating position substantially in alignment with saidmain section and spaced apart therefrom, and said middle section beingdisposed between said main and outer sections, means pivotallyconnecting said main and outer sections together whereby the outersection can be swung into and out of said normal operating position,means for locking the outer section rigidly to the main section, andmeans connecting said middle section to said main section providing forvertical movement relative thereto.

9. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a main disk section, asecond disk section, and means connecting said second section to saidmain section for vertical movement relative thereto, said connectingmeans comprising at least two bell cranks disposed at opposite ends ofsaid second section, in parallel relation with each other and pivotallyconnected with said main section for rocking about parallel axes, onearm of each bell crank being pivotally connected with said secondsection and a common link connected to the other arm of each of saidbell cranks, whereby said second section is movable vertically withrespect to said main section and is maintained parallel therewith in allpositions.

10. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a main disk section, asecond disk section, and means connecting said second section to saidmain` section for vertical movement relative thereto, said connectingmeans comprising a pair of bell cranks disposed at one end of saidsecond 4section on opposite sides thereof, respectively, and

a second pair of bell cranks disposed at the other end of the section onopposite sides thereof, said bell cranks being pivoted on said main disksection and having corresponding arms pivotally connected with saidsecond section, and link means connecting each of said bell cranks atone end of said second section with the corresponding bell crank at theother end of the section whereby said second section can be movedvertically with respect to said main section in parallel relationtherewith.

ll. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a diskgang, and means connecting said disk gang to said frame for verticalmovement relative thereto, said connecting means being responsive to thethrust of the disks for resisting vertical displacement of the disk gangrelative to the supporting frame.

12. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a supporting frame,.a diskgang, and means connecting said disk gang to said frame for verticalmovement relative thereto, said connecting means comprising a pair ofbell cranks disposed near opposite ends of said disk gang and journaledon said supporting frame, each of said bell cranks having a laterallyextending arm pivotally connected with the disk gang and a verticallyextending arm, said laterally extending arms being horizontal when thegang is in normal operating position relative to the supporting frame,and link means connecting the vertical arms f the bell cranks together.

13. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a pairof outer disk sections, means connecting said sections to saidsupporting frame substantially in alignment with one another and withtheir adjacent ends spaced apart, a third disk section disposed betweensaid outer sections and substantially in alignment therewith, and meansconnecting said third section to said supporting frame whereby saidthird section is movable bodily up or down relative to the outersections.

14. A harrow gang comprising, in combination, a main disk section and anouter disk section disposed substantially in alignment with one anotherand spaced apart, means pivotally connecting said sections together forvertical swinging movement, a third disk section disposed between saidmain and outer sections, and means connecting said third section to saidmain section providing for vertical movement relative thereto.

15. A harrow gang comprising three frames each supporting a disksection, two of said frames being pivotally connected for relativevertical swinging movement, and means connecting the third frame to oneof the other two for relative bodily movement.

16. A harrow gang comprising three frames each supporting a disksection, two of said frames being pivotally connected for relativevertical swinging movement, and means connecting both ends of the thirdframe to one of the other frames for relative vertical movement.

17. A harrow gang comprising two frames, each supporting a disk section,and means connecting both ends of one frame to the other frame forrelative vertical movement.

18. A harrow gang comprising two frames, each supporting a disk section,means connecting the inner end of one frame to the other frame forvertical movement, and other means connecting the outer end of said oneframe to said other frame for vertical movement.

19. A harrow gang comprising two-frames, each supporting a disk section,means connecting the inner end of one frame to the other frame forvertical movement, other means connecting the outer end of said oneframe to said other frame for vertical movement,` and means connectingboth said connecting means for causing both ends of said one frame tomove together.

20. A disk harrow gang comprising three gang sections, and means movablyconnecting two of the sections to each other, and means movablyconnecting the third section with one of said two gang sections againstthe movable connection between said two sections so as to provide forrelative movement between the three gang sections.

21. A harrow gang comprising three gang sections, and means movablyconnecting two of said gang sections with the same end of the third gangsection so as to provide for relative movement between the three gangsections.

22.. A harrow gang comprising three gang sections, means pivotallyconnecting the outermost gang section to the innermost gang section, andmeans movably connecting the third gang section with one of the innerand outer gangs for movement relative thereto in a positiontherebetween.

23. A harrow gang comprising three gang sections. means pivotallyconnecting one gang section to one of the other two gang sections, andmeans connecting the other of said two gang sections with said rst gangsection for generally vertical floating movement relative thereto inrelative close proximity to the adjacent ends of said pivotallyconnected gang sections.

24. A harrow gang comprising, in combination,

a pair of disk sections, means for pivotally connecting said sectionstogether substantially in alignment with one another and with theiradjacent ends spaced apart, a third disk section disposed between saidrst mentioned sections, and means movably connecting said third disksection with at least one of said pair of disk sections for movementinto and out of substantial alignment therewith. 25. A disk harrow gangcomprising a pair of disk gang sections, and means connecting one ofsaid disk gang sections with the other for movement relative thereto,said means including parts so angularly related that the thrust of thesoil pressure against one gang section tends to hold it in positionrelative to the other gang section.

26. A harrow comprising a frame, a disk gang movable relative thereto,and means swingable about a horizontal axis for connecting said gangwith said frame for generally vertical movement relative to the latter.

27. A harrow as defined in claim 26, further characterized by said meanscomprising generally vertically swingable crank means pivoted to .saidframe and connected at their free ends with the disk gang.

28. A disk harrow gang comprising a pail` of disk gang sections, andparallel link means con- .necting one of vsaid disk gang sections withthe other for generally vertical swinging movement, said link meansbeing substantially horizontal when said gangs are in alignment.

29. A harrow gang comprising a pair of disk sections disposedsubstantially in alignment with one another and spaced apart, meanspivotally connecting said sections together for vertical swingingmovement, a third disk section disposed between said main and outersections and movably connected therewith, and draft means opiii sectionfor movement relative thereto about a pair of spaced axes, therebyproviding for vertical movement relative thereto, and draft meanspivotally connected with said main section adjacent said longitudinalaxis and between said spaced axes. l 31. A harrow comprising threesections, means movably connecting a iirst section to one of the othertwo sections for movement about a horizontal axis, means movablyconnecting the third section to said one section adjacent said axis, anddraft means also connected to said one section adjacent said axis forapplying draft to said rst section and said one section and also to saidthird section through the means connecting said third section to saidone section.

32. A harrow comprising three gang sections, means movably connecting aiirst section to one of the other two sections for movement about ahorizontal axis, means movably 'connecting the third section to said onesection at points on opposite sides of said axis, and draft meansconnected to said one section at a point adjacent said axis and betweenthe two points at which the third section is connected to said onesection, whereby said draft means applies draft to said rst section andsaid one section and also to said third section through said two pointsof connection.

33. A harrow as dened in claim 26, further characterized by said meanscomprising arms rigidly interconnected by means pivoting the arms tosaid frame for relative vertical swinging movement about a horizontalaxis.

34. A disk harrow comprising three sets of disks normally disposed ingenerally axial alignment, frame bars associated with the sets of disks,means pivotally connecting the frame bars of two of said sets of disksso that said two sets are hinged together for generally verticalswinging movement, one relative to the other, in spaced apart relationwith the third set of disks disposed therebetween and means pivotallyconnecting the frame bars of the third set of disks with the frame barsof said other sets, whereby all of the sets of disks have independentvertical movement and said one set of disks may be swung upwardlyrelative to the other set of disks to reduce the Width of the harrow.

35. A disk harrow comprising an inner set of disks, an intermediate setof disks, and an outer set of disks normally in end to end relation,frame bars for each set of disks, means hingedly connecting the framebars of the outer set to the frame bars of the inner set toprovide forfolding up the outer set of disks relative to the inner set of disks,and means connecting the intermediate set of disks and its frame barswith the frame barsfof the inner set of disks whereby the sets of disksare free to move generally vertically independently of each other.

36. A disk harrow comprising an inner disk gang section, an outer diskgang section, and an intermediate disk gang section normally disposedbetween said inner and outer disk gang sections, means serving as aframe for each of said disk a gang sections, means pivotally connectingthe frame means of the outer disk gang section to the frame means of theinner disk gang section with said last-named sections in spaced apartrelation to accommodate the position of the intermediate disk gangsection therebetween and to provide for upward folding movement of theouter disk gang section relative to the inner disk gang section, andmeans connecting the intermediate disk gang section with the frame meansmeans, a disk section, and generally vertically swingable meansconnecting each end portion of said disk section with said frame means.

38. An agricultural machine comprising frame means, a disk section, anda pair of generally parallel members connected with said frame means andwith the end portions, respectively, of said disk section so that eachend of the latter has the substantially same movement relative to saidframe means as the other end.

39. An agricultural machine comprising a pair of disk sections, framemeans therefor, and means connecting each disk section with said framemeans, the connecting means for one disk section including partsswingably connecting the one disk section for generally verticalmovement but holding the axis thereof in line with or generally parallelto the axis of the other disk section.

CHARLES H. WHITE.

CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. pement` No. 2.2155714. l June 1o, 19M.

CHARLES E. WHITE.

It'is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page LL,first column. line l2, Claim 20, for the word "against" read -adJacent-;and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the Case in thePatent Office.

signed and sealed this .26th day of August, A. D. 19m. I

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

